Katy Perry made waves the last few weeks with her awkward attempt to brand herself into outer space. It backfired. Accompanied by other members of the all-woman space flight, Perry’s ascent and quick descent have many people wondering who or what should have access to go to space? Let’s explore one policy angle beneath the headlines.

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HEREBY HIGHLIGHTED

The NASA Authorization Act

In March, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), introduced the NASA Authorization Act of 2025, a bipartisan bill that would greenlight $25.5 billion for the agency’s next chapter. Its mission: reassert U.S. space dominance by returning America to the moon, and beyond. To do this, the bill proposes co-developing space stations with private companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX.  

Gone are the golden days when space was a government-only affair. NASA’s budget has shrunk, and commercial contracts have taken off—literally. So what is the future of U.S. space exploration looking like? Think rockets built by billionaires, and funded (in part) by tax dollars. According to NASA, however, this shift isn’t a bug—it’s the blueprint. This bill doubles down on a public-private model which raises big questions about who space is for, who gets to set the rules, and what we prioritize down here on Earth.


The Debate Floor

According to what we scraped together for you, here's what each side is saying:

Supporters might argue that the bill:

  • Ensures U.S. wins the race to Mars
  • Creates jobs in tech and aerospace industries
  • Offers a safe, steady path for NASA missions

Naysayers argue, however, that it:

  • Accelerates privatization of space
  • Diverts money from urgent Earth-bound needs (like climate research)
  • Leaves big gaps in oversight, ethics, and equity

Space used to be the final frontier, but now, it’s reading more like a business opportunity. This year alone, the U.S. government has signed multiple private contracts including a $2.4 billion national security contract with Blue Origin in April. So who gets to go to space? For now, it looks like astronauts, billionaires, and celebrities. Whether this bill opens the door to space travel for more people—or locks it further shut—is a question up in the air.

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ZINGER

Congress Time Continuum

Senator Dick Durbin just announced his retirement after 44 years in Congress. That includes 14 in the House, 30 in the Senate, and a front-row seat to some of the biggest political shifts of the last half-century.

But get this—he’s only 38th on the all-time tenure list. And seven sitting members of Congress have already outlasted him.

For every year you gain in gravitas, you risk losing a bit more to gravity—slipping out of touch, losing your grip, taking up space.

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